Foot-sock



p 1963 R. G. WILKERSON 3, 71

FooT-socx Filed March 20, 19 2 Ruth G. Wilkerson,

This invention relates to socks and, more specifically,

to an improved ladies sock of the type adapted to be concealed within a low-cut shoe worn therewith and now generally known as a footlet.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a footlet type sock that is more satisfactory from the viewpoint of both function and appearance than those, now generally in use. More specifically, a primary object of thisinvention is the provision of a footlet type sock which will remain in proper position upon the heel of a wearer and not tend to slip downwardly thereon, and which has an enhanced silhouette appearance that better enables it to be concealed from vieweven when the shoe worn therewith is of the extremely low-cut style presently in vogue.

A related object is the provision in a footlet type sock of inexpensive means for improving the iunction and appearance thereof as aforesaid, which means is capable e'ither of being readily incorporated into a =footlet during its manufacture or, with practically equal facility, of being subsequently added to an existing footlet for the purpose of improving its original structure.

Other objects and advantages will be in part evident and in partpointed out hereinafter in the following description of illustrative embodiments of the invention, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which I -FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a footlet type sock embodying the invention;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are, respectively, side and bottom views of the sock shown in FIGURE 1 with the foot of a wearer received therein;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a footlet type sock constituting another embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURES 5 and 6 are, respectively, side and bottom views of the sock shown in FIGURE 4 with the foot of a wearer received therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the sock shown in FIGURES 1 through 3 comprises generally an 1 elongate =fabric body 10' having a toe portion 12 and a heel portion 14 interconnected by a sole portion 16. The marginal edges of portions 12, 14 and 16 terminate at and themselves collectively define upper edge 18 of body 10. Edge 18 is continuous and, when the foot of a wearer is received within body 10 (see FIGURES 2 and 3), encircles and contractively engages the toot well be low the wearers angle. Elastic means, such as the band 20 shown (see FIGURE 1), may be provided integral with and about the'entire length of edge 18 so as ,to increase its contractility and thereby cause the same to more snugly engage the foot of the wearer that it encircles.

The construction thus far described is conventional, and footlet type. socks formed in accordance therewith are presently in general use. It has been found, however, that such socks have an annoying and discomforting tendency to slip downwardly upon the heelof the wearer while in use. This tendency has not been entirely eliminated even when an elastic band or elastic stitching has been provided integral with the upper edge of the sock, which is perhaps due to the fact that the contractibility of the elastic so provided must not be so I United States Patent 0 3 ,102,271 Patented Sept. 3, 1963 'ice . 2 great as to restrict the size of the opening defined by the edge to such an extent that insertion of the foot of a wearer theret-hrou'gh is impeded. Moreover, when worn withthe extremely low-cut shoes currently in cfashion, that possess practically no uppers midway of their length, the relatively high silhouette appearance of conventional footlet type socks renders them visible and, therefore, asthetically unsatisfactory to many wearers.

Referring now once again to FIGURE 1, it has been found that these deficiencies are appreciably diminished by providing the sock with elastic means, illustratively an elastic band 22, extending transversely of sole portion 16 ot fabric body 10. The opposite ends of band 22 are secured, as by stitching, to the opposite marginal edges of sole portion 16 at points thereon approximately midway of its length. The intermediate length of band 22 is free; thatis, while disposed within the confines of sole portion 16 of fabric body 10, it is not secured thereto. The length of band 22 is less than the distance between the opposite marginal edges of sole portion 16 measured along the periphery. of fabric body 10, i.e., is

, less than the width of the flat blank from which sole portion 16 might be rformed.

When the foot of a wearer is received within [fabric body 10, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, band 22 underlies and is pushed downwardly by the arch of the foot. Due to its elasticity, some limited expansion of band 22 ensues The band is of sufliciently short length, however, that it additionally downwardly deflects the marginal edges of sole portion 16 to which its ends are secured. As best shown in FIGURE 2, this downward deflection of each marginal edge of sole portion 16 lowers the silhouette appearance of fabric bodyltl in that each marginal edge of sole portion 16 defines a shallow V-shape-d silhouette, rather than a straight line.

It will be noted that the apex of this V-shaped silhouette is adjacent the arch of the foot of a wearer, this being the approximate point at which the uppers Olf now popular low-cut shoe are most shallow.

The marginal edges of toe portion 12 and heel portion 14 are not deflected downwardly, as are the marginal edges of sole portion 16, by band 22. Indeed, the former are maintained even more securely in their proper, normal positions than they might be absent the provision of band 22. Thus, since the marginal edges of each of the portions of fabric body 10 merge with one another and collectively define upper edge 18 thereof, the downward deflection of the marginal edges of sole portion 16 increases the contractility of'the entire upper edge 18 and thereby pulls the marginal edge of heel portion 14 inwardly into closer engagement with the heel of a wearer. This considerably diminishes, if not altogether obviates, the heretofore noted tendency of the marginal edge of the heel portion of a footlet to slip downwardly upon the heel of a wearer while in use.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 4 through '6, components similar or identical to those heretofore described in the FIGURES 1 through 3 embodiment are denoted by the same numeral, but with the addition of a prime designation. The second embodiment of the invention is identical to the first, except that the intermediate length of elastic band 22' is secured, as by stitching, to sole portion 16 of fabric body '10, and is positioned outside the confines ofrather than within-fabric body 10. Topermit the limited expansion of band 22 when the foot of a wearer is received within fabric body 10', that portion of sole portion 16 to which band 22 is secured is gathered, as shown best in FIGURE 4. This gathering may be accomplished, in a well known manner, as hand 22' is stitched to sole portion 16'. The remaining construc- 3 tion of the FIGURES 4 through 6 embodiment, and the function thereof, need not be further described since it will be apparent that the same is identical to that of the FIGURES 1 through 3 embodiment previously described.

It will be apparent that the band 22 or the band 22 can be readily incorporated into a tootle-t during its original manufacture or can easily be added to an existing footlet. In either instance, the inclusion of the band will result in a footlet having an enhanced silhouette appearance and having a decreased tendency to slip downwardly :upon the heel of a wearer during use. It will therefore be seen that the instant invention realizes the objects and advantages heretofore noted, along with many practical benefits.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claim.

That which is claimed is:

A footlet type sock adapted to be concealed within a low-cut shoe worn therewith and comprising an elongate :fabric body adapted to receive the foot of a wearer and having oppositely disposed toe and heel portions interconnected by a sole portion, the upper edge of said fabric body being collectively formed by the marginal edges of said portions and being adapted to encircle the foot of a wearer below the ankle; a narrow elastic band extending substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said sole portion of said fabric body approximately equidistant from said toe and heel portions thereof, the length of said narrow elastic band being less than the distance along the periphery of said fabric body between the opposite marginal edges of said sole portion thereof, and the opposite ends of said band being secured to the opposite marginal edges of said sole portion with the intermediate length of said band between said opposite ends being free, said narrow elastic band being adapted to underlie the foot of a wearer received within said fabric body and downwardly deflect the marginal edges of said sole portion and in turn impart an inward pull upon the marginal edge of said heel portion, whereby the silhouette appearance of said fabric body is lowered and engagement between the marginal edge of said heel portion and the foot of a wearer is enhanced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,877,393 Friedman et al. Sept. 13, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 92,195 Austria Oct. 15, 1922 797,027 France Apr. 20, 1936 

